The manufacturer's recommended age limit for these toys are 6 years; but Supervision by a Responsible Adult is suggested.

In 2002, the secret Hayate Way Ninja Academy which teaches the ancient Japanese martial arts of ninjutsu is attacked by the ruthless alien Uchuu Ningun Jakanja. Lead by the anthropomorphized insect Master Tao Zanto and his five Dark Spear generals, they capture all of the students and Academy’s buildings, and hide them inside their centipede-covered asteroid base. Only three less-than-average students from Hayate Way (who skipped their morning lessons that day) survive the initial attack. Transported to a secret underground chamber by the daughter of the academy’s masterful director (who transformed himself into a hamster to avoid capture!), the three students are given wrist-mounted Hurricane Gyros which will enable them to use the Shinobi Suits and weapons of the legendary Hurricanger. While each is trained in one of the three specialized techniques taught at the Academy- air, water, and land- they must hide in the local population to avoid detection, and work together to prevent the Jakanja from taking over Earth... as the Ninpuu Sentai Hurricanger!

Sets from the Shinobi Machine line required for these transformations:

In Episode 25- “Phantoms, and a Schoolgirl”, the Jakanja monster Vampiyan has gone from initially being flee-size, to human-size, and is now battling the Senpuujin at giant size. He uses his soul-draining ability- which earlier accidentally resurrected Kouta’s long-dead grandmother as a young high school girl- to drain the Senpuujin of its own power, leaving it at only about half power, so that even using the hammer-shaped Goat Crusher weapon has little impact. Kouta, with his younger grandmother beside him in the cockpit, says that it is their responsibility as Hurricanger to defend both those who have come before and those in the future. Encouraged by his words, the mysterious Tenku Ninja Shurikenger suddenly appears in his recently-revealed Hishou Henkei Tenkujin, and asks Nanami (Hurricane Blue) if he can take her place. Even though confused, she disengages her Hurricane Dolphin mecha, and the Tenkujin slides into the empty position, forming the Tenku-Senpuujin. Utilizing the high-powered torque of both the new right arm and the Maned Hurricane feature from the left arm, the Tenku-Senpuujin fires the Dynamite Tornado, obliterating the giant Jakanja nuisance. (Unfortunately, with the destruction of the monster, this also makes Kouta’s grandmother fade back into death.)

The Tenku-Senpuujin (back) is very lopsided with the Tenkujin hanging off the right side. You can tell that that shoulder joint is only just able to keep the new right arm up because most of the weight is on one side of it. But, there is a reason this combination is called the ‘Heavenly Whirlwind-god’... The zip cord from the DX Senpuujin can be inserted into the left arm, and the rotor motor on the DX Tenkujin wound up; then both can be activated at the same time in the same way they’re used for the Dynamite Tornado finisher! (However, since they’re not linked, the smaller rotors on the Tenkujin’s feet/cannon barrels do not turn... unless you move them at the same time.)

In Episode 26- “Bow & Arrow, and Sea Bathing”, the Jakanja monster Chupid is shooting arrows that make humans instantly and uncontrollably fall in love with the first thing they see- even inanimate objects like statues, construction equipment, & garbage bins- to the absolute exclusion of everything else around them! He even unintentionally shoots both Isshuu (Kuwaga Ranger) and Shurikenger, and the first thing they see is... Nanami! As they both vie for her affections unaware of the love spell’s influence on them, they finally come to blows in their jealousy. As Chupid moves in to destroy them, both Kuwaga Ranger and Shurikenger willingly act as human shields for Nanami. As all three fall, Kuwaga Ranger stands once more, absorbing shot after shot in the name of misplaced love until the other rangers arrive to help. And finally he destroys Chupid by himself; this cancels out the love spell on all affected by it.

. . .

With a Copy Giant appearing to assume the form of Chupid, and Nanami unable to fight due to injuries, only the Gouraijin and Tenkujin are summoned to battle. Though there is still a playful rivalry between Kuwaga Ranger and Shurikenger now, they can’t quite seem to be able to best each other. And so, Shurikenger proposes that they work together- he lands the Tenkujin on top of the Gouraijin, thus forming the Tenku-Gouraijin. In this formation it has access to the large rotor blades sitting on its back, which allows it to fly. Additionally, the Double Horn Cutter is held in the right hand, freeing up the paired machine cannons from Gouraijin’s chest. And these cannons can operate independently, or in concert with the Tenku-Gouraijin’s new larger shoulder cannons to unleash the Thunder Blast Cannon finisher.

The Tenku-Gouraijin (back) is even more-so heavier than just the die-cast metal-laden DX Gouraijin, and that’s saying something. Even the combination seems on the verge of falling under its own increased mass & center of gravity- most of the Tenkujin sits on the back, while just the legs hang over (but do not touch) the shoulders. But Bandai was wise to this, and included in the DX Tenkujin set is a small set of light gray ABS pads that clip onto the bottom of Gouraijin’s heels; these tilt the Tenku-Gouraijin forward fractionally (you really can’t tell the difference unless you measure it out), but enough to balance it better. To make room for the Tenkujin’s legs, the Double Horn Cutter normally stored on the chest of the Gouraijin needs to be removed, and the cannons on either side snapped to a horizontal position. Now, poseability is affected here a bit. Ordinarily, the Gouraijin’s arms can pivot up-and-down with no problem, but with the Tenkujin hanging on, the tops of the arms tend to smack into the latter’s rotor blades. This is a problem because the Tenku-Gouraijin is designed to fly using that main rotor. While it only just clears the long horn on its head (and we’re talking not even two millimeters here!), the same cannot be said of the claws on the upper arms. So the arms must be raised to 45° so that those rotors can spin freely. (And even then, it might occasionally bump into the horn on the head.) However- if you raise them to 90°, the wrists bump into the shoulder cannons, and they can’t snap into position this way! And let us not even talk about how difficult it is now to pick up the combined mass...

In the direct-to-video movie “Ninpuu Sentai Hurricanger VS GaoRanger”, Chuubozu- brother of the-late Second Spear general Chuuzubo- steals the G-Phones from the retired GaoRanger, and then imprisons them; though Sae Taiga (Gao White) manages to escape. Chuubozu then gives the G-Phones to the other five Jakanja generals, which allows them to turn into GaoRanger and attack the unawares Hurricanger! But Sae is able to intervene, and tell the totem Power Animals that they are supporting false GaoRanger, and to withdraw their power from the G-Phones. After the Hurricanger and Sae retreat, she tells them what is going on, and with the help of lone wolf Gao Silver, they rescue the real GaoRanger, and then the ten rangers engage in a large battle against both the Jakanja forces and Orgu villains Tsuetsue & Yabaiba. Even though they used both the Victory Gadget and Hyakujuuken on Chuubozu, he survives and makes himself grow, also summoning three previously-destroyed Jakanja monsters at the same time! The Gao King Sword and Shield, Gao Hunter, and the six Shinobi Machines are summoned to the battle. Chuubozu uses his space ninja powers to resurrect the spirit of his dead brother Chuuzubo to get an advantage, but the Gourai-Senpuujin is formed, and he is once again quickly eliminated.

. . .

In a rage, Chuubozu fires on the group, and severely damages them all, but the Gourai-Senpuujin remains standing despite the loss of its right arm. When Gao Red starts to call for Gao Muscle Striker to be formed, Gao Lion makes a different suggestion. Instead, the six GaoRanger join the Hurricanger in their cockpits, and together they use the power of Gao Tiger, Gao Shark, and Gao Elephant to make the Gourai-Senpuujin Sword and Shield. This new cross hyakujuu gattai combination allows for a special finisher, the Furai Hyakujuu Slash.

Let’s face it: the Ryuuhachouetsu Furai Gattai Gourai-Senpuujin is an awesome sight. It’s big, it’s bulky, and it’s heavy; all fine, fine qualities in a Super Sentai robo in the right combination(s). But I think that the whole point of the Gourai-Senpuujin Sword and Shield (back) is so that it could use the Sword and Shield part. Unfortunately, this means that the only two limbs from the Power Animals (aka PA) line that could grip the Gao Elephant were Gao Tiger and Gao Shark, which- in the grand scheme of things- were not really standout or exceptional compared to other limb-swapping PAs. And so this is one of those combos in toy form that just don’t end well. All PA sets are smaller than their Shinobi Machine counterparts the following year, and so to swap them, you would need the largest limbs from the former- say, PA-02 Gao Giraffe and PA-06 Gao Dias- in order to match up better. This- this... is just unspeakably bad.

After two of the monsters are destroyed, Hurricane Red says that the Power Animals will soon overpower the Gourai-Senpuujin Sword and Shield, and tear it apart, which Gao Red agrees with. But then, to prevent the Gourai-Senpuujin from remaining at a disadvantage with the loss of its right arm, Shurikenger suggests a new combination using the Tenkujin as a replacement right arm. This creates the six-part Tenku Gourai-Senpuujin. And with a mighty battle cry from the twelve assembled rangers, the Tenku Gourai-Senpuujin- along with the assisting powers from the six totem Power Animals- annihilates Chuubozu with the unique Final Thunder Hurricane blast.

The Tenku Gourai-Senpuujin (back) may be a bit of a mouthful, but ya can’t argue with the results too much. That’s the Tenku-Senpuujin, but with a Gourai- in the middle.

[SFX: sting]

(*bows*) Thank you, thank you. I’ll be in my trailer.

Compared to the special Gourai-Senpuujin Sword and Shield combo above, this one makes a little more sense since it keeps it within the Shinobi Machine family. It is also notable that not only is this the only time that both the Hurricane Dolphin and Tenkujin appear in the same combo, but it is one of three seven-part combinations in the Shinobi Machine line (including the tiny Furai-Maru):

Tenku Gourai-Senpuujin (7, including Furai-Maru)

Revolver Gourai-Senpuujin (7, including Furai-Maru)

Revolver Tenrai-Senpuujin (7, including Tri-Condor)

But if you wanna be really picky, the record [out of continuity] is actually found with the previous Gourai-Senpuujin Sword and Shield-

Hurricane hawk

Hurricane Dolphin

Hurricane Lion

Gourai Beetle

Gourai Stag

Furai-Maru (Karakuri Balls #07 & 08)

Gao Shark

Gao Tiger

Gao Elephant

-a record that would not be challenged until 2007 in "Gougou Sentai Boukenger"; when the Chou Gougou Gattai Super DaiBouken officially appeared with nine parts, and then was broken a few episodes later by the Kyuukyoku Gougou Gattai Ultimate DaiBouken with ten. But I digress. The Tenku Gourai-Senpuujin really is just a larger version of the Tenku-Senpuujin, so there’s not really much to say here. You can try to recreate the Final Thunder Hurricane move, but you’ll be hard-pressed to get that chest wheel to spin (aka the Gourai-Senpuujin’s Rolling Thunder Hurricane finisher) for any length of time when you also spin the rotor on the right arm at the same time (the Tenku-Senpuujin’s Dynamite Tornado finisher).

Perhaps unintentionally, this review shows more the diversity of the Tenkujin than anything else (even though the Gingachouetsu Sanjin Gattai Tenrai-Senpuujin is not highlighted here). In 2001, “GaoRanger” brought forth limb-swapping, which had been done before, but never to that scale. After that craziness had passed, we got back to some old-school action with the mecha in the “Hurricanger” line while other facets of the series dazzled us with their quirky ingenuity. (A ninja who plays baseball, but is also a master of disguise???) While the Karakuri Balls provide a collecting gimmick while being fun on their own at times, another example of the flexibility of this line must lay in Bandai’s decision to make the Shinobi Machines compatible with the Power Animals from the previous year, thus inviting new levels of play with things like the Gourai-Senpuujin Sword and Shield... (*cough*). This cross-compatibility would be used in the following year with the super-evolved dinosaurs from “Bakuryuu Sentai AbaRanger” (2003), and then two more lines beyond that. (Whether-or-not people liked this in Japan, I cannot say since I do not know; I can only speak for myself on that issue.) A lot of love and hard planning went into the Shinobi Machine series of DX toys, and it shows- from heavy die-cast metal, to a dolphin that becomes a shoulder cannon. And even though some things may stick out at odd angles, we appreciate them all the more because they work well not only by themselves, but especially with each other.

I don't mean to derail this topic/thread, but I figure here's a decent spot to start this discussion: what's with all the hate towards Ultimate Daibouken? I was very impressed with this sentai toy! I had the regular (show) colored version (Japanese release), but I ended up selling it to a friend as soon as I picked up the black/gold version. I love the durn thing!

Keep in mind that I'm no sentai expert and I'm only vaguely familiar with some shows' toy offerings, but Boukenger had some designs that really interested me. Granted, besides very rare exceptions like Transformer's Predaking, I'm not into animal-themed combining mecha. Yeah, I'm that guy who loves Dairugger XV way more than Golion!

But besides Boukenger's purely hi-tech vehicle look, I thought the detail and fit of each constituent piece was flawless. All the joints featured detents and were strong enough to support the fully-combined beast's weight. It's just a solid toy. I thought the combination was more creative than Super Dekaranger Robo (probably my second favorite sentai robot)...certainly more articulated.

The different limb combinations you could come up with were decent enough, and it was nice to be able to form two distinct robots with the constituent vehicles. I think if they'd scaled everything up just slightly (without dumping the detail like in the US releases) so that Ultimate Daibouken was as tall as the Super Dekaranger Robo toy, it would have been perfect.

It sounds like everyone's beef with the design is that each constituent vehicle's design is getting simpler and simpler...just for the sake of being able to fit more into the ultimate combination...a not-so-cool trend. Is that the main problem? I can understand that, but still...Ultimate Daibouken still manages to be a good toy.

So I ain't the only one thinking like that ?
I don't actually own the ultimate daibouken, but it also seems pretty cool to me. Not as good as a Kyuukyoku Daizyujin (Original Ultrazord) or Tenraisenpuujin (Hurricane megazord) but still, the first to have some real poseability.
The toys was a good concept. I think people hate the concept of a ten mecha combination that get its butt kicked every episode more than the toy itself...

Yeah- the Ultimate DaiBouken kinda played out like Jack Landor's Red SPD Battlizer armor did- a really powerful form that was obsolete within a few episodes, and became a joke.
Yeah, it was cool, and in the series it works, but the toy version of Ultimate DaiBouken is where it fails the most.

While the limb-swapping was cool enough- though getting kinda tiresome by the time "Boukenger" rolled around- and the details were pretty good, as were the functions of the individual components, I thought that Ultimate DaiBouken was perhaps too much of a good thing. I mean, that fact that it had ten components kinda proves the theme of Super Sentai mecha and their combos; ten components was something of an overload of mecha for the tokusatsu sub-genre where 7-8 was the rule before. In a way, Engine-Oh G12 will do the same; though it that case, it's not that great because the components look like they were just stuck on there rather than being integrated into the design like they were in Ultimate DaiBouken.
The other big let-down, for me, was that there were joints and pegs and other stuff that was never utilized, so there was all this potential and it was never recognized except by its absence.

Now, the Kyuukyoku Daizyujin and Gourai-Senpuujin- while not being tributes to Super Sentai like the Gougou Vehicles were supposed to be- were more coherent & fluid in their own ways.
I love the Kyuukyoku Daizyujin because it was the first Ultrazord from the first sea. of PR (which I thought was kick-ass when I was 11), and, unlike all later combos, it used all of the components so that each did not overpower the others, or was more dominant, or was substituted from; every single part (save the Daizyujin's sword and Dragon Caesar's staff accessory) was used in the final combo. While Ultimate DaiBouken also did this, it did not, however, use up all of the components from the entire Gougou Vehicle system (which numbered 18 total)... which the Engine-Oh G12 is now attempting to do. I mean, when you come up with something like Riding DaiBouken as your second ten-part combo in the same series, and you still have eight mecha left over yet to be used, then you can't really make the claim that Kyuukyoku Daizyujin, Jukou Kiden (aka Thunder Ultrazord) and the Revolver Gourai-Senpuujin & Revolver Tenrai-Senpuujin can. (Granted, the latter-most-two have one mecha missing from their respective line in each combo...)
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CollectionDX Staff

About ultimate Daibouken, at first glance I hate it because of the uneven arms. But as time goes by, my hate turns into love. Just something different about it. And like Sanjeev, I doesn't dig the animal theme mecha. But vehicle theme... Love it very much.

Before we stray away from the Hurricanger mecha combinations topic...I consider this toyline (as well as Gaoranger's Power Animal gimmick) to be better than Boukenger itself. Sure it's gimmicky, but at least the combos suit well.

Go-Onger is suffering from the same "piling-up" of mechas to form a new combo and it's not looking good...

I agree. The Shinobi Machine line from "Hurricanger" was the last time in Super Sentai that I didn't frown upon any of the mecha in it, and where the combos make sense, the final mecha introduced didn't break the pre-established trend of its predecessors, and it wasn't [completely] dependent on accessory mecha to establish greater combos. Every part had its place, but did well on its own, was quirky, and it looked awesome in whatever combo you made.

(In fact, my only complaint was how Gourai-/Tenrai-Senpuujin just stood on the back of the Revolver Mammoth rather than actually connecting to it by snapping in place or swapping some components... like the Kyuukyoku Daizyujin.)
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CollectionDX Staff

Naw- even though the Juukou Kiden had seven components, they were just stacked on/stored in each other; that was no different, too, from Super King Pyramider (Zeo Ultrazords), Riding TimeRobo Alpha, and Riding DaiBouken.
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CollectionDX Staff

So, it seems to me that the issue isn't so much that Ultimate Daibouken is bad, per se...it's more that it's main gimmicks have already been done (limb-swapping) and that there are better robots out there (this one--Hurricaneger--for instance!).

Still, I like Ultimate Daibouken a lot. Again, it's just a cool looking robot to me. I like that high-tech (non-animal) style. It's true that it was pretty much obsolete in just a couple episodes, but I like how you can have Daibouken ride Daivoyager, and have Daitanken (sp?) as a separate robot...so none of the vehicles are wasted. [I ended up passing on Siren Builder, incidentally.]

Anyway, I have Gouraijin and Tenkujin, but never bothered to get the others. If I have a chance to complete the set for cheap, I may do so...even if only for the sake of all that diecast!

Be aware that the special-release DX Tenrai-Senpuujin set comes with a clear-plastic (aka "crystal") Tri-Condor, not the regular ver w/ paint & metal highlights. I think a "crystal" Furai-Maru is also included in that set.

Also, there was no regular-coloring release of the Gourai-Senpuujin, only the special-edition black, silver, and emerald-green version.
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CollectionDX Staff